Dehydrator



Nov. 11, 1952 w. L. MQ 2,617,529

DEHYDRATOR Filed March 5, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l ATTOR/Vi) Patented Nov. 11, 1952 PATENT -)"l-=l -ICl TDEHYDRATOR- Wallace IaMcGehee, Kansas City, Mo. Application March 5, 1946; Serial no esznia (areas-135i 2. Claims. l This invention re1ates;t0 apparatusifor. dehydrating crops or other materialsfrom which it is desired to withdraw:substantiallyallrthe moisture and simultaneously separate the relatively "heavy particles from those capable of being -.en-

trained in a .stream..of.iair: passing through: the machine.

One of the primary objects ..of& this invention is the provision .of .a dehydrator. having. as apart thereof novel and unique-means for automatically separating particles of comparatively heavy character fromfiocculent .or lighter portions of the mass without: interrupting the continuous operation of the dehydrator.

Other aimsof the invention are the-provision of novel, unique, durable and effective parts for embodying the broad'concepts of theinvention; to provide means for positively. directing heavy portions of the mass of materialrbeing dehydrated toward a discharge opening-where. the same will pass completely from the: shell of; the dehydrator periodically and positivelyas the said shell is rotated about itslongitudinal axis.;- the provision of structure cooperatingrwith.the -dise charge opening formed in the shell as aforesaid to insure that the particles-of heavy character will escape from the shell through said discharge opening and the fine orless heavy particles of the mass beingdried will be entrained in astream of air under pressure. passing tolan' outlet port; and to provide means within. the revolvable shell in the dehydrator for controlling the amount of material carried 'in one of the-compartments of the shell, whichsa-id last mentioned means is especially disposed with respect to the aforesaid discharge opening and a numberof lifts mounted within the shellto. act .uponthe material being treated.

Other aims .ofthe invention .Will appear duringthe course. of the followingspecification referringto the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is aside elevational :view.of azdehydrator. made pursuant ate the; present :invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational viewizof the-intake end thereof;

Fig; 3 is a condensed longitudinal verti'cal 'sectional view" taken on -line--IIIIII-'of-Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is-a transverse cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV ofFig. 1 looking in-the direction 7 of the arrows.

Fig; '5 is asimilar cross sectional view taken on line V-"V of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6-is a fragmentarycrosssectional- -view taken on line VI-VI of- Fig; 1.

Fig. .7 1is; an; enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on;.line.VIIV1I-. of Fig; 3;; and- Fig. 8; is .a fragmentary cross sectionalview through a .dehydrator made to embody amodi- .fied' form" of; the: invention;

The material handling apparatus I chosen for illustration comprisesa substantially cylindrical double, wall shell; mounted for rotation with its longitudinal; axis. disposed; horizontallyand broadly. designated bythe reference numeral Ill. The wall' isv insulated as illustrated in- Figs: 3 to .6 inclusive and has at least two. external annular: bands: I 2: designed. to engage supporting rollers. 14;..thereupon the entire .weightof shell I0 is: impressed during. the operation of the equipment. An annular sprocket l6--on shell i0 is engaged by anysuitable form of drive chain or the like, as is-conventionally known but not here illustrated.

Shell I0 has anintake openingl8' at one end thereof and" an. outlet port 20- at' the opposite end-the formerbeing'associated with amaterial chute. 22.; as-shownin Fig. 1, .and through the medium whereofthe substance to be dehydrated isintrod-uced. The interior ofshell Ill is'divided into a number of sections'for lifting and shifting thermaterial, as 'will be more: fully hereinafter-set down-when describing the precise: operation of. the dehydrator.

Thefirst'section within shell I0 is designated by thenumeral 24 and is divided: from the-remaining: partof shell [0 by a radial, inwardly directed flange 26 connected by: weldingorother suitable means,.,to shell land to -member- 21 fixed within 'shell' [0; as: clearly shownin Figs. -3 and 4. A flange having a- :number I of segmental sections: 28. are bolted 'or otherwiseremovably secured. toflange- ZG-and. have: notches 38 adjacent to "members 2.1 'when said section's are in position asshownin'Fig. 4. These sections .28-a-rereplaceable and shi-ftable to theend that the opening described :by'the inner arcuate edges thereof, may be varied=inqdiameterto control the velocity of air passinglongitudinally therethrough. Aplura-li'ty of longitudinal radial inwardly directed agitators or lifts 3| arefixed within section '24 and extend from ifiange'ifirto the .end of shell Ill-having. intakezopening l8. Incidentally; the conventional blower-fan: 32. is in communication with the. outlet "port 20 :1 of shell l0, .as.:shown in Fig;..1,'..andi thezfanris driven by-xsuitable :means .34: The .fan :32 is joined. tonshell .lfl'zby .a: conduit 36of-desired length andtifan'l .32communicates with :an ordinary 'cyclone; separator; ,or other analogous sap;-

3 paratus, as the material being dehydrated requires.

An adjustable longitudinally shiftable tube 38 fitted into outlet port 20 has its inner end intermediate the zone of juncture between the conical section of shell I and the section next adjacent thereto and the end of shell III having the outlet port therein, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth. The distance of projection into shell II] by tube 38 may be varied because of the sliding interengagement of the parts shown in Fig. 3. The major portion of the length of shell I0 is occupied by a central section 40 wherein a number of radial lifts 42 are mounted in a manner shown in Fig. 5. These lifts are in spaced relation, have laterally extending lips 44 at the free edges thereof and are so arranged that the lips are at the leading sides of all of lifts 42 for the purpose of gathering small quantities of the material that might drop by gravity to the lower portion of shell I0. After this material is elevated to a point above the horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of shell II] by rotation thereof, the same begins to fall and thereby traverse by way of intersecting the path of travel of air moving through the shell from intake opening I8 to outlet port '20.

The end section 45 next adjacent to outlet port 20 preferably has structure therein for moving particles resting on the inner surface of the shell inwardly from said end toward section 4 and against the radial inwardly directed flange 48.

In the chosen form of this structure the same comprises a frusto-conical wall 50 extending inwardly and diverging from the outlet port 20 to the annular inner wall of shell I0 and to flange 48, all as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

A radially disposed discharge opening 52 is formed through the shell at the zone of juncture between the frusto-conical section and flange 48 at the end of section 40 and to insure that the discharge opening 52 communicates with the interior of wall 50, a throat 54 is provided, as clear- 1y shown in Fig. '7. A door 56 hinged as at 58 to shell I0 is movable to and from a position closing opening 52 and as shell I0 rotates, this door will swing in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. As opening 52 approaches its lowermost position during rotation of shell I0, the door will swing open through the action of gravity and an unrestricted passage for the discharge of heavy materials resting upon wall 50 will be presented. These heavy materials migrate from adjacent to outlet port 20 toward section 40 or the outermost zone on Wall 50 as the dehydrator is in operation while the lighter flocculent portions of the mass of material being treated are entrained in the stream of air passing out through tube 38, outlet port 20 and thence to fan 32. Such material, the heavier portions of the material being dried, and foreign matter as may enter intake opening I8 will there- .fore, be automatically dumped through discharge opening 52 as soon as door 55 is opened to the position shown in Fig. 6.

If it is desirable to provide positive structure for moving the door to the open position, such may be done through the employment of means such as illustrated in Fig. 8' showing a modified form of the invention. In this type of dehydrator with positively operating dumping means for the heavier materials, door IOU is hingedly mounted as at I02 adjacent to discharge opening 52 through shell I0. Arm I04 rigid to one edge of door ID!) has a rod I06 pivotally joined thereto at I08 and this rod slides through an ear III] on shell II). A compression spring II2 coiled about that portion of rod I06 between arm I64 and ear III] yieldably maintains door I00 in the closed position until such time as arm I04 strikes cam face II4 extending a distance to each side of a vertical line projected upwardly through the longitudinal axis of shell III. Thus-interengagement between arm I04 and cam face II4 occurs while discharge opening 52 is moving through the lowermost portion of its path of travel. Door I05 will be positively opened and held in such condition until arm I04 leaves cam face II4 whereupon spring II2 will close the door where it remains in such condition until a substantially complete revolution has again occurred on the part of shell I.

Thus--it will be manifest that either form of the discharge means including opening 52 and doors 56 or IE9, as the case may be, will efiicient- 1y dump relatively heavy materials from within shell II], if said materials are riding upon the inner surface of shell I0 adjacent to opening 52 or 54. The flange 48 will serve to cooperate with Wall 50 or wall of shell ID if wall 50 is eliminated in collecting the heavier particles that should be evacuated, for they seek the lowermost portion of shell I0 where the periodic presence of opening 52 will allow the heavier material to fall through the opening when the door swings open.

The usual means for directing flame into the dehydrator or otherwise heating the interior of shell It may be employed, but since these features do not constitute a fulfillment of the objects of the invention, and further since they are of well known character, a discussion thereof is unnecessary to those skilled in the art.

In the operation of the equipment, material to be dehydrated enters the shell I0 and is retained in compartment 24 until it becomes light enough to be drawn through the opening formed by sections 23 on flange 26.

When the material reaches section 4%, it will separate into light and heavy groups. The heavy material will drop out of the stream of air drawn through tube 38, its specific gravity depending upon the position of the inner end of the tube with respect to outlet port 30.

It is realized that other means may be provided in a dehydrator for automatically eliminating the heavier particles and therefore, it is desired to be limited only by the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dehydrator, an elongated, cylindrical drum mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis and having a pair of end walls, one end Wall having an inlet port and the other end wall having an outlet port; a hollow frusto-conical member in the drum having a vertical base and an apex disposed adjacent to said other end wall, said base having an opening therethrough coaxial with the drum; and a radially disposed outlet spout extending through the drum and disposed to place said member into communication with the exterior of said drum, said spout being disposed between said other end wall and said base of the member and next adjacent the latter.

2. In a dehydrator, an elongated, cylindrical drum mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis and having a pair of end walls, one end wall having an inlet port and the other end wall having an outlet port; a hollow frusto-conical memher in the drum having a vertical base and an apex disposed adjacent to said other end wall, said base having an opening therethrough coaxial with the drum; a radially disposed outlet spout extending through the drum and disposed 5 WALLACE L. MOGEHEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Re. 17,462 893,002 957,157 1,118,775 1,149,463 1,175,113 1,196,975 10 1,321,773 1,483,228 1,614,364 1,925,761 1,934,930 15 1,937,242 2,240,713

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Waterman Oct. 15, 1929 Martin July 14, 1908 Goltra May 3, 1910 Hyde Nov. 24, 1914 Pardee Aug. 10, 1915 Bauer Mar. 14, 1916 Pease Sept. 5, 1916 Ross Nov. 11, 1919 McCullough Feb. 12, 1924 I-Iidoux Jan. 11, 1927 Johnson Sept. 5, 1933 Kent Nov. 14, 1933 Madsen Jan. 8, 1935 Schiffman et al May 6, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany June 19, 1932 

